IP Library › Granted Patent US 12678775
Granted Patent B2
US 12678775 · App. 16/968,542 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Catalyst effective in the oxidative conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide

Inventors: Andrey Karpov (Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE); Christian Walsdorff (Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE); Michael Kraemer (Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE); Armin Lange De Oliveira (Heidelberg, DE); Gerhard Krennrich (Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE); Christian Bartosch (Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE); Juergen Zuehlke (Ludwigshafen am Rhein, DE)
Assignee: BASF SE
B01J23/688B01J21/04B01J23/6567B01J35/612B01J37/0201B01J37/088C07D301/10B01J2235/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12678775
App. No.
16/968,542
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a catalyst effective in the oxidative conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide, comprising an alumina support and 20 to 45% by weight of the catalyst, of silver applied to the support, the catalyst meeting the following limitations (i) to (v): (i) an amount of cesium c(Cs) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of at least 2; (ii) an amount of rhenium c(Re) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of at least 3.0; (iii) an amount of tungsten c(W) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of at least 1.6; (iv) a silicon to alkaline earth metal molar ratio x of not higher than 1.80; (v) c(Cs)−c(Re)−c(W)≤4·x−0.5.

Claims (18)

1 . A catalyst effective in the oxidative conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide, comprising an alumina support and 23 to 30% of silver based on the weight of the catalyst, the catalyst meeting the following limitations (i) to (v):

(i) an amount of cesium c(Cs) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 5.5 to 8.5;

(ii) an amount of rhenium c(Re) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 4.0 to 7.0;

(iii) an amount of tungsten c(W) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 1.6 to 3.25;

(iv) a silicon to alkaline earth metal molar ratio x of not higher than 1.80;

(v) c(Cs)−c(Re)−c(W)≤4·x−0.5;

wherein x is 0.1 to 1.46.

2 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein

c (Cs)− c (Re)− c (W)≤4 ·x− 1.3.

3 . The catalyst according to claim 2 , wherein

c (Cs)− c (Re)− c (W)≤2.35· x− 1.3.

4 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , comprising an amount of potassium c(K) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 2.6 to 10.3.

5 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , comprising an amount of sodium c(Na) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 0.2 to 10.8.

6 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , comprising an amount of lithium c(Li) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 43 to 86.

7 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , comprising an amount of sulfur c(S) in mmol per Kg of catalyst of 0.3 to 3.

8 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the Cs:Re:W molar ratio is 12 to 19:9 to 12.5:4 to 6.

9 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the alumina support has a water absorption of 0.35 ml/g to 0.70 ml/g.

10 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of water absorption of the alumina support to BET surface area of the alumina support is in the range from 0.18 to 0.33 ml/m 2 .